Origins of Karen Sorensen, Part I: James's Maternal Grandmother

Just like her husband's family, half of Karen Sorensen's ancestors had deep roots around Aarhus, and the other half were more recent arrival.  Karen's mother Frederikke Olesen was born in Skaade, Denmark, which is 8 km south of Aarhus.  Frederikke married Soren Jespersen in Holme Kirke (3 km west of Skaade) on 20 May 1833.  That church was replaced in 1882 with the current structure.  Based on existing churches from that time period, Holme Church was probably the closest church to Skaade.

New Holme Church

After their marriage, Frederikke and Soren moved to Aaby (8 km to the North) by 8 September 1833 when their daughter (and Jame's mother) Karen Sorensen was born there.  Frederikke died in Aaby in about 1882.  Her husband Soren died in Fountain Green Utah on 5 January 1889.  I would be interested to know whether Soren emigrated before or after his wife's death.

Frederikke's father's family in Skaade can be traced back her great-great-great grandfather Ole, who was born there in about 1634.  Frederike's paternal grandmother, Anne Larsdatter, was christened on 12 April 1735 in Beder, which is located 6 km south of Skaade.   Anne's father Lars Larsen was born in Over-Flojstrup and christened on 11 January 1699 in Malling.  Anne's mother Karen Sorensdatter was born in 1710 in Over-Flojstrup, and was buried on 8 November 1758 in Beder.  Flojstrup, like Skaade, was apparently too small to have a church.


A. Aarhus      B. Skaade      C. Holme      D. Over Flojstrup      E. Beder      F. Blegind

 Malling Church was built in the Twelfth Century and is the only church in Denmark that had fortified walls with towers and a moat.  The walls are now only ruins.


Malling Church



Malling Church by Commons.wikipedia.org



Here are pictures of the new Beder Church.  The numbers underneath the front window say it was built in 1794.  So Frederikkes paternal grandmother would have been christened in the old church in 1735.  The family in Flojstrup would very likely have frequented this church as opposed to others because it is within a few kilometers.


Beder Church



Over Flojstrup, what you see is about all there is.

Frederikke's mother, Maren Mortensdatter, moved to Skaade for her marriage on 18 March 1803 and Frederikke's birth on 3 December 1803, but was born 11 km southwest of Skaade in Blegind on 29 December 1780.  Her father's family traces its roots in Blegind back to her great-grandfathers Morten and Knude in the 1690's.  Her mother's family traces its roots in Blegind back to her great grandparents Jens Andersen and Karin Jensdatter, who were born there in the 1670's. 
Blegind Church is a romanesque building with a tower from about 1600.  The pulpit is a renaissance piece from about 1640 with portraits of the four evangelists.  There is a granite romanesque baptismal font decorated with lions from about 1700.  So the family history is closely connected with that of this church.



Blegind



After more than 130 years of her family living in Blegind, Maren's move to Skaade, allowing her daughter Frederikke to meet Soren Jespersen there.  Soren was newly arrived from the highlands of Denmark near Silkeborg, and the two were married on 20 May 1833 in Holme.